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CWC's special sitting for case disposal of runaways

Last updated: 05 June, 2010

Bangalore: June 4, DHNS:

Organised at City railway station to cut down waiting time for children

The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) held a special sitting at the City Railway Station for faster disposal of cases related to runaway children.

About 14 children who were rescued at the railway station in a single day were brought to the sitting. The boys were aged between 12 to 16 years and came from several districts of Karnataka, as well as states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa.

CWC member Meera Madhav said some of the boys would be sent to the Government observation home, while the others would stay at the NGO Saathi’s centre in Okalipuram. “Most often, our time at the sittings gets taken up in admissions alone. Coming to the railway station cut down on the waiting time for the children too,” Meera said.She also said that they were noticing a trend, where children were being brought to the State in a clear case of human trafficking.

Last month, 37 children aged between 10 to 17 years were rescued from a plastic washing factory in Nayadanahalli. All the children had been brought from Bihar by middlemen who promised the parents that their children would be provided education. Some children had not seen their parents for three years.

Pramod, a 14-year-old from Mysore, ran away from his house to get a job in Bangalore. “I was studying in class nine, but my parents who are manual labourers could not pay my fees anymore, so I had to leave,” he said. Pramod was found wandering in the railway platform and was brought to the sittings.

In another instance, Chandan, a 16-year-old from Bihar, was found at the railway station. On questioning, he said he was working in a metal factory in Hosur and was getting paid Rs 4,500 a month. Chandan also revealed that the factory where he works, employs children several years younger to him. He has studied till Class seven.Chandan said that he did not want to go back. “I came here looking for a job and I travel home for a month and come back. If they send me home, I will definitely come back,” Chandan maintained.DH News Service